DatingDirect Reviews

DatingDirect is more of an online community than a pure dating site; the site offers people a place where they can socialize, meet and romanticize other singles, and generally just have fun. The service is committed to provide a pleasant experience for users, so they could search for love in their own pace. If you are unfamiliar with online dating, you will find numerous tips and advices on the site so you won’t feel discouraged. But DatingDirect does more than just connect people over the internet: it also organizes social events where singles can meet in person. The registration on the site is free, and users are able to piece together their profile with tons of personal information and preference, facilitating the chance of finding a suiting date.

Features

DatingDirect is an online dating platform targeted towards singles in the United Kingdom. This, however, doesn’t mean that the service is limited to the borders of Great Britain only. DatingDirect has numerous localized sister sites that serve numerous other European countries, such as France, Spain, Denmark, Italy and Belgium, not to mention the international service directed towards singles in Asia and Latin America. As a great addition, the service owners regularly organize social events around the world where people in close vicinity can gather and have a blast together.

Getting Started

Kicking off with DatingDirect could take a little bit longer compared to other dating sites. You could get over the registration pretty quickly, but the following profile customization is what takes away your time. Providing information about yourself, your interests and your preferred date is done through more than a dozen steps, plus uploading your photos. But don’t let it discourage you, because a more detailed profile means more views, and you also get the opportunity to learn more about your pick.

After completing your profile and activating it through an email, you’ll be rewarded with instant recommendations of potential dates. The website is using a simplistic bright design with easily identifiable icons located at the top. Users can see their messages, start direct chatting with likeable people, get others’ attention by winking at them, and look for potential dates via searching or “shuffle”.

Matching System

Nothing is easier than finding interesting people at DatingDirect. Users always see a fresh roster of recommended members who they might be interested in, or they can pursue love through searching. Reading other peoples’ profile is highly informative and fun too. Singles can share their personal preferences, favorite foods, and state the kind of partner they seek. There is even an Affiliate feature, which is kind of a quiz, and completing it will indicate what kind of person you are, and what your ideal soulmate looks like. If you’re more of a type who believes in fate instead of an algorithm, then take a chance with Shuffle: it randomly shows you people, and you can decide whether you want to make a move or not. Those who feel unappreciated and strive for more attention have an option to rank higher in searches, but only after they switch to a paying account.

Communication

After minutes – or hours – of browsing through attractive members, you’ve found the one who is meant for you? Well, there are several options before you. The person can be favorited to find him or her later, or you can straight up send a message and start a conversation. Sadly, all forms of love-blatter are prohibited for those who have a free account. This includes both sending and reading messages, not to mention the live chat. And the system is even made in a way that you can write down the text, but you are unable to send it.

Mobile

DatingDirect understands that modern singles are more likely do their love birding through their smartphone instead of sitting in front of a monitor. That’s why they made sure that their website is truly optimized for smaller devices with a touchscreen. This mobile version of the website is fully compatible with all the popular browsers, starting from Internet Explorer to Firefox and Chrome. Naturally, the same profile you use on the regular site will be accessible, and all the features are available here as well. Other than providing a simplified design, the mobile version was also created with touch-friendliness in mind, meaning that actions like setting the search parameters and chatting can be done with ease. Sadly this also means that DatingDirect has no actual app for smart devices, and accessing the site through a browser is the only solutions. On the contrary, this might be not that big loss, as the mobile site offers a unique enough experience.

Pricing

Similar to other dating services, DatingDirect offers a double-edged freedom by allowing free registration. It’s true that setting up an account is without a cost, and you aren’t forced to pay for anything. But don’t forget that your actions are also limited and you are being blocked to make a move on others. The only way to lift these shackles is to upgrade your account to a premium one, and keep paying the monthly fee to do so. There are three payment plans available, and the price is reduced according to the length of the subscription period. The monthly subscription costs $29.99, the three month-long plan has a price of $19.99 per month, while the most cost effective is the semi-annual plan with a price tag of only $9.99 per month. DatingDirect payments can be done either with a credit card or PayPal.

Customer Service

In case of an unexpected problem, DatingDirect offers numerous answers. The site has a detailed help section with a well-sorted FAQ, plus members are entitled to search for solutions by typing in keywords. However, the site is leaning towards the solve-your-problem-on-your-own approach, as the actual customer service can be only bothered after several search attempts have been made in the help section. This could alienate users who have a unique problem, as they are forced to read through a bunch of generic answers that might be not useful at all.

Bottom Line

Dating Direct is a fine example of trendy dating sites that do more than just simply gathering a large user base, and leave them to sort out their love affairs. Dating Direct is actively supporting singles to develop bonds and experience new things by providing useful dating tips and organizing live social events where different people can meet in person. The site prides itself with its vast user base of active members, with thousands of new users registering on a daily basis. The personal profile gives people an opportunity to show their inner side, and searching for dating targets can be done in an innovative way. Although actual contact requires a paid membership, the prices are budget-friendly compared to other sites.